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IMPACT OF MINING ACTIVITY ON SURFACE WATER QUALITY IN THE CENTRAL SPIS REGION (SLOVAKIA)

Danica Fazekašová

Abstract

The studied area Central Spi? is located in Rud?any - Gelnica area, which is according to environmental regionalization included in the environmentally loaded and unhealthy areas in Slovakia. As a result of long and intensive mining and processing of minerals, the area is polluted with heavy metals and the landscape was altered by extensive anthropogenic forms. In the context of mining activity, surface water acts as a transport medium of pollution, thus expanding the area of the impact of old mining activities on the environment. The work is focused on the evaluation of qualitative parameters of surface water with the emphasis on heavy metals and physicochemical properties, on the example of the Slovinsky potok creek. The biggest source of pollution of the Slovinsky potok creek is the water flowing from mining works. Experimental work was carried out in 2010, 2011 and 2017 on five sampling points that were selected to map the entire length of the watercourse. A sample analysis was carried out directly at the sampling points, in the Laboratory of Environmental Analyses of the Department of Environmental Management of the University of Pre?ov in Pre?ov and in an accredited reference laboratory of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. The pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, conductivity, resistivity, salinity, total dissolved solids, flow rate and heavy metals (As, Cu, Fe, Cd) were monitored and evaluated. The obtained data were processed statistically using the Statistica 13 software. The level of the significance between water parameters was calculated using Pearson?s correlation coefficient. The research has shown that the concentration of As is increased in the long run at the site where surface water flows from the mining galley. Statistical correlations between physical and chemical parameters were confirmed by statistical testing.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/5.1/s20.061

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